Where the Heart Is: Chocolate Milk
by braeden
Summary: It has been two years since Novalee told Forney she lied to him.


Novalee Nation pulled a strand of thick brown hair out of her face, and slowly sat up right. Americus sat in the seat next to her, down on the patio in front of their house.   
"So, chocolate milk anyone?" a soft voice asked as containers of chocolate milk appeared on the table in front of them. Novalee grinned.   
"Forney!" Americus cried, jumping out her chair and rushing over to jump into his arms.   
Novalee sat, drinking a new container of chocolate milk watching as her husband and daughter interacted. Americus was sitting on Forney's lap now, playing with his brown wavy hair when he was attempting to open a container of chocolate milk for her. Forney, grappling with the container, glanced up at Novalee, his brown eyes meeting her green ones. He gave her a jokingly desperate look as Americus continued tugging at his hair.  
"Yes!" he laughed jokingly as the milk container finally opened.  
"Here ya go, Americus." The little girl grabbed the container of chocolate milk and began gulping it down.  
"Thanks, Forney!" she replied, "You know today, Mommy and I did some cleaning, and then we went to Wal-Mart, and then we went to see the Whitecottons, and then we went to Wal-Mart again, and then we went home, and then you got home and now we are here!"   
"Wow, what a very eventful day!" Forney replied, glancing up at Novalee as the shared a smile.   
It was already nine in the evening when they decided it was time to hit the sacks. Twenty minutes later, Novalee smiled as she watched Forney, sitting in bed next to Americus, reading her a book. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Americus was only nine years old, and already reading on a tenth grade reading level, so says her teachers. Novalee grinned as she watched expressions dart across Americus' tiny face as Forney's soothing voice told the stories of Lucy Manette, Charles Darnay, and Sydney Carlton in 18th Century France.   
But moments later, Americus' eyes were shut, breathing deeply, fast asleep. Forney gave Americus a small kiss on the forehead before slowly getting out of her bed. He turned around, slipping his hands around Novalee's waist and holding her tight against him.   
"I love you Novalee. So much." He said, barely a whisper.  
"I love you too." She replied, feeling his breath on her neck and gave his hand a soft squeeze. "I love you too."   
He pulled her into a kiss, first soft and gentle but soon passionate and desperate. She smiled against his lips.   
"I think we should go to our bedroom." She murmured.   
"Good idea."   
He stated before capturing her mouth in another impassioned kiss.   
  
The next morning, bright and early, Novalee and Lexie were shopping for children's clothes at Wal-Mart. Of course, it was a Saturday, so therefore everyone else was also there. Forney, Americus, Leon Yoder (Lexie's husband), and all of Lexie's "candy named" children were all present and accounted for.  
Novalee and Lexie stood over by the children's t-shirts, flipping through them, as a smile continued to brighten up Novalee's face. For a few moments Lexie watched Novalee, as Novalee watched Forney and Americus, across the store, picking out books.   
"Girl, you have been glowing all day. What a smile." Lexie remarked as she picked up a shirt off the rack and eyed it carefully. Novalee just continued flipping through the rack, the smile on her face broadening.   
"So last night you and Forney...." Lexie left the rest of the statement in the air. Clearly implied.  
Novalee avoided Lexie's look, a bright pink blush creeping up her cheeks.  
"Well, girl. You have been married for almost two years now, and you still can't keep your hands off each other. It's a reckon you don't have two more kids by now, " Lexie grinned. "Like me, " she added.   
Novalee continued flipping through the racks, every once and a while picking out a shirt or two that Americus might like.  
"I admit I really would like more children." Novalee commented slowly, avoiding Lexie's gaze at first, and then looking her right in the air.   
"I'm just kind of..." Novalee paused, looking up at Lexie for the right word.  
"Confused?" Lexie supplemented.   
"Yes, confused." Novalee agreed. "It's just, I feel like our life is going so well the way it is. With Forney back working at a new bookstore. I'm doing well with my photography. Americus is almost Nine years old now! It's just...I don't know. My life is going so well. How could I possibly feel...."  
"Confused?" Lexie added.  
"Yeah. Confused." Lexie turned and leaned over, pulling Novalee into a big hug.   
"Its okay honey. It's okay." Lexie said, stroking Novalee's back. Tears began to form in Novalee's eyes, and soon she was sobbing in Lexie's arms.   
"I love him so much, and I love Americus so much, but I don't know. I'm just a little...lost."   
"Novalee. It's okay. I love you Novalee. Okay? Shhhhhh." She soothed with Novalee still in her arms.   
She pulled back, placing a kiss on Novalee's forehead, observing the tear-stricken face.   
"Here." Lexie stated, pulling a tissue out of her bag and carefully wiping Novalee's face. Then she reached into her bag and pulled out a little blush, a little lipstick. A little mascara. A few minutes later, Lexie smiled.   
"Good as new, honey." Lexie grinned. "Its amazing what a big hug and some makeup can do."   
"Lexie. I never wear makeup like this." Novalee responded, looking at her face in a mirror.  
"Honey, you look so beautiful." Lexie replied, giving Novalee's arm a squeeze. "Now about before. Are you sure you aren't pregnant?"   
  
Before Novalee could respond, Forney was heading over to where they were, Americus close at his heels.   
"Mommy! Mommy!" Americus cried, reaching Novalee a few moments before Forney.   
"What Americus?" Novalee replied, leaning down to give her baby girl a big hug.  
"Forney and I picked out all these new books and we are going to read them together!"  
"That's great, honey." Novalee replied, getting up from the floor, now facing Forney.  
"Novalee!" Forney stated, shocked, a big smile soon forming on his face.  
"What?" she asked. "What?" she repeated.   
"You look very pretty today, dear." He responded, pulling her in for a quick kiss.   
"Very sexy." He whispered in her ear so no one else could hear. A blush spread across her cheeks. If Lexie noticed, she pretended not to, pulling Americus next to her and planting a kiss on her nose.  
"Butterfly kisses, " she murmured to Americus. "Butterfly kisses."   
  
  
Two days later, it was Novalee's twenty-seventh birthday. Forney had taken it upon himself to make a special birthday dinner in remembrance of one some many years ago.   
Novalee, Americus, Lexie, and the Mr. and Mrs. Whitecotton sat at the dinning room table as Forney finished up the dinner preparations, which he had insisted on doing all by himself. Candlelight sparkled all around the room. And there in the middle of the table, just like Novalee had remembered at her eighteenth birthday many years ago, were pink tea roses in a ruby red vase.   
Forney soon entered the room, carrying the first course, and everyone couldn't help but smile.  
"Oh Forney, it's wonderful." Novalee whispered softly. "It's so wonderful."   
"This is for you, Ma'am." Forney stated, after placing down the plates, and handed her a yellow rosebud. She exchanged a small smile with him and he watched the little white scar on the side of her mouth glow in the candlelight. She placed the little yellow rose in her auburn hair, just like nine years before.   
Lexie, seated to the left of Novalee, gave her hand a gentle squeeze.   
Each place at the table was served a plate of soup. Orange Almond Bisque. It was a regular in the Hull household, in fact Americus no longer commented on its orange color. After they were all seated and said grace, Novalee picked up her spoon, dipping it slowly into the orange soup. She tasted it, remembering its cool, smooth feeling on her lips. Spicy velvety soup with her friends and family. There was nothing better in the world.   
She glanced to her left to find that Forney was watching her. Always watching her with this look she would always remember, even from the first day she met him. It reminded her of a time about three years ago. A conversation she had had with Lexie she would never forget.   
  
i"Yeah. But he's just so crazy about Americus. If we more away..." /i  
  
He now noticed that she had caught him staring at her. Forney smiled at her, a blush sweeping across his face and a moment later it was gone.   
  
i"And he's not crazy about you?" /i  
  
His brown eyes shimmered in the candle light as his stared into Novalee's face. Beautiful emerald eyes.  
  
i"Sure. We're best friends!" /i  
  
He nudged her jokingly, and Novalee placed down her soup spoon, grinning at him. Forney nudged a little harder and soon she was pulled into his arms, his arm placed carefully around her shoulder. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply, taking in the feeling of his arms around her, and the happy chatter of friends around her.   
  
i"Oh Novalee, open your eyes! You are not his friend. I've told you before. Forney Hull is in love with you." /i  
  
Soon everyone was done with his or her soup, and Forney reluctantly left the table to carry in the next course.   
"Green Vanilla Pudding!" Americus cheered as Forney reentered the room with new trays.   
The talented Chef Forney Hull himself had brought in the final food for the meal.   
The "Green Vanilla Pudding," as described by Americus, was asparagus mouse. In addition there was Tournedos Wellington, Madeira Sauce, and green peas with cream.   
Just like nine years ago, thought Novalee. iThe most perfect night of my life. /i 


End file.
